Suction cleaner device



June 5, 1951 GRUE I 2,555,742

SUCTION CLEANER DEVICE Filed April 8, 1949 IN VEN TOR flN/v @EuE,

BY 5 4, 13g

Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER DEVICE Firm E. Grue, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Application April 8, 1949, Serial N 0. 86,185

Claims. (Cl. 230-274) This invention relates to an attachment for suction cleaners and particularly to means for eifectively reducing the velocity of air discharged through the outlet port of the cleaner and dispersing the discharged air adjacent to the cleaner for substantially preventing disturbance and stirring-up of dust particles on adjacent surfaces of a floor for deposition upon articles of furniture in the room being cleaned.

Well-known suction or vacuum cleaners generally comprise a housing of any suitable form having an inlet port affording attachment to suction-cleaner devices for carrying dust particles and dirt picked up by the cleaner into the housing. Within the housing is usually provided a dust collector in the form of a filter, dust bag, water, or other suitable means for entrapping and separating the particles of dust from the air. Picking up and movement of dust and dirt particles into the cleaner is accomplished by means of a fan driven by suitable motor means. After the dust particles have been separated from the air drawn into the cleaner, clean air is discharged through an outlet port with considerable velocity. Since the outlet port is usually relatively close to the floor surface upon which the cleaner rests, the blast of air discharged by the cleaner disturbs and raises dust particles from adjacent surfaces of the floor and articles of furniture in such a manner that dust and dirt particles permeate the air in the room. After cleaning, these dust particles eventually fall to rest on surfaces cleaned with the result that complete removal of the dirt and dust is not obtained.

A primary object 'of this invention is to provide an attachment for such suction cleaners whereby means are attached to the air discharge port of a cleaner for eifectively reducing the velocity of the discharged clean air and for rapidly dispersing the air adjacent to the cleaner so that movement of air in proximity to the air discharge port is of a gentle nature and is not capable of raising or disturbing dust particles from surfaces on the floor or on adjacent furniture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment for suction cleaners as above described which may be readily and selectively attached or removed from a cleaner so that the air discharge port may be utilized for other purposes such as the attachment of pressure spray devices, jetting devices, etc., when the device of this invention is removed.

A further object of this invention is to pro vide an attachment for suction cleaners as above described wherein the reduction in velocity and the dispersion of the air discharged from such a cleaner is accomplished in such a manner that back pressure is reduced to a minimum and operation of the suction cleaner is substantially unaffected.

Still another object of this invention is to provide suction cleaners with an attachment as above described wherein dampening means are provided for preventing undesired vibration of the attachment caused by passage of discharged air therethrough.

Generally speaking, the attachment for suction cleaners contemplated by this invention comprises a rigid, hollow element removably attached to the margins of the clean air discharge port of a suction cleaner and provided at its other end with a compliant, porous, fabric cap having a greater internal surface area than the cross-sectional area of the element whereby the air is dispersed and discharged through the fabric cap in virtually all directions.

Other objects and advantages of the attachment for suction cleaners contemplated by this invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side view of an end portion of a suction cleaner carrying a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the attachment shown in Fig. l as viewed from the line II- -II as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View showing an arrangement for securing the fabric cap to the rigid hollow element shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side View of a suctio cleaner carrying a different embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged end view of the attachment taken in the direction indicated 'by the line V-V of Fig. 4. 1

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, end It of a suction cleaner generally indicated at H is illustrated as carrying a preferred modification of the attachment generally indicated at I? embodying this invention. The suction cleaner ll may be one of any well-known type of suction cleaner employing a fan driven by a motor carried within an external housing for sucking or drawing in dust-laden air. The cleaner H is provided at its other end (not shown) with an air inlet port adapted for connection to a sue- I3 of generally elongated cylindrical shape and at end I9 terminates in an air discharge port I4 defined by radially inwardly directed flanged port margins I5 formed on the inner end of the The member I9 is secured to the end of the housing in any suitable manner as indicated by spaced circumferential rivets II around the flanged outer end of the throat member I6 and secured to a radially inwardly directed end wall I8 of the end ll] of the external housing.

The attachment I2 includes a rigid, hollow element I9 formed of any suitable lightweight metal or plastic defining a channel having open ends for providing a passageway for clean air discharged though ports Id. The element i9 is illustrated in Fig. 1 as having frusto-conical shape with the narrow open end of the element extending into the throat member I6.

At the inner end of the element I9 may be provided a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers 29 which extend through port I4. The fingers 29 are provided with an annular rib 2I adjacent their ends for engagement with the port margins It for removably securing the element I9 within the air discharge port Id. The annular rib 2| may be formed in the resilient fingers in any suitable manner as by stamping or pressing and is provided with a generally arcuate cross-section to afford inclined surfaces for permitting the element I9 to be readily inserted or withdrawn from the discharge port. The resilient fingers 29 are spring biased outwardly for permitting a tight grip on the port margins and each finger is spaced apart a relatively short interval for permitting compression or radial contraction of the fingers when the element I9 is inserted into the port l4.

At the wide outer end of the hollow element I9 may be provided a compliant, porous fabric cap 22 The cap 22 is secured to the element I9 in any suitable manner as by providing a resilient ring 23 carried in a loop or hem 24 around a generally circular opening provided in the cap 22. The resilient ring 23 may be stretched to enlarge the opening of the cap for permitting the ring 23 to be slipped over a radially outwardly directed retaining flange 25 formed around the circumference of the outer end of the element I9. The resilient ring 23 readily embraces the outer circumferential margins of the element I9 adjacent the retaining flange 25 and thus holds and retains the cap 22 on the end of the element I9. It will be readily apparent that other means for securing the cap 22 to the element I9 may be used.

The internal surface area of the cap 22 is substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the element I9 taken in a transverse plane adjacent the outer end of the element I9. This substantially greater surface area of cap 22 affords ample area for dispersion of the air discharged through the port I l and permits its dispersion in substantially all directions. It may be noted that the cap 22 is of generally elliptical form with the short diameter of the ellipse in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the cleaner and of the discharge port. It will thus be readily apparent that the velocity of the air discharged from the outlet port will be substantially reduced and dispersed in an area immediately adjacent to the outer end of the hollow element I9.

7 The frusto-conical shape of the hollow element I9 permits the air discharged through port I4 to expand during its passage through the hollow element I9 and thus a reduction in its velocity is commenced immediately after the discharged air has passed the port I4.

Means for preventing vibration of the hollow element I9 in its mounting in the outlet port I4 may be provided by a resilient annular dampening member 26 made of any suitable rubber composition or yieldable material. The member 26 has an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the outer stepped portion of the throat member I6 for snug or close accommodation therewithin and for abutment with the shoulder 2! forming said stepped portion. The inner circumferential face of the dampening member 23 may be outwardly flared to correspond with the 'frusto-conical shape of the element I9. The element I9 is thus resiliently held within the throat member I6 by the yieldable support provided by the dampening member 26 and the inter-engagement of the resilient fingers 29 with the port margins of the discharge port I4.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a different modification of this invention is illustrated. The suction cleaner generally indicated at 39 isillustrated as being of substantially the same construction as that in the previous modification and includes an external housing 3I provided with a clean air discharge port 32 having port margins 33 formed on the inner end of a stepped throat member 34. r

The suction cleaner attachment generally indicated at 35 comprises a hollow tubular element 36 of substantially 'uniform cross-section throughout its length and having open ends for passage of clean air through said element. Adjacent the inner open end of element 36 may be formed a radially inwardly directed annular groove 31 for accommodating a corresponding annular rib formed on the inner annular surface of a resilient dampening and supporting mem-v ber 38. The member 38 is adapted for close accommodation within the inner stepped portion 39 of the throat member 34 for providing a yieldable resilient support for dampening vibrations of the attachment caused by air discharged therethrough.

At the inner open end of element 36 may be provided a plurality of circumferentially spaced.

apertures 40 for reception therethrough of cor responding aligned spring-biased bosses ill. The bosses II are carried by a split, resilient'ring 42 spring-biased radially outwardly for urging the bosses 4| through the openings 40. The bosses 4I may be of frusto-conical form and are adapted to engage inner surfaces of port margins 33 when element 36 is inserted into thedis charge port 32. The frusto-conical form of the bosses 4I permits the element to be readily inserted or withdrawn from the discharge port 32, the split, resilient ring 42 being radially contractable to permit their passage through the port 32. 7

At the outer open end of the element 36 is provided a radially outwardly directed retaining circumferential flange 43 for securing a cap 44 to the element 36 in the same manner as described in the first modification. The cap 44 may be made of any porous compliant fabric as in the first modification and is of generally elliptical form having its short diameter aligned with the axis of the element 36. It will be readily evident that cap 44 provides an internal surface area substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the element 36 and permits rapid dispersion of the air discharge in virtually all directions immediately adjacent the end of the suction cleaner and reduces the velocity of the discharge to a minimum whereby dust particles on adjacent surfaces will not be disturbed.

In operation the attachment for suction cleaners described in the above two modifications may be readily mounted on a cleaner inserting the inner open end of the rigid element into the clean air discharge port of the cleaner. The resilient means carried at the inner end of the element yieldably and radially contract to permit their passage through the port and then expand radially outwardly for securely holding the attachment to the cleaner. The yieldable annular dampening member affords further support for the rigid hollow element, holding it in axial alignment and cushioning vibration thereof when air is discharged therethrough.

The compliant porous fabric cap acts to substantially reduce the velocity of air discharged through the port and hollow element, and at the same time causes dissipation or dispersal of the air stream in virtually all directions. The movement of air discharged after it has passed through the fabric cap is very gentle and insufficient to disturb particles of dust or dirt lying on adjacent surfaces. These particles will thus be left in place awaiting their proper removal by the cleaner, and thus a more effective and efficient cleaning is obtained.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the method of attaching the suction cleaner attachment to the air discharge port of a suction cleaner may be modified and changed in a number of different ways. Also the shape of the fabric cap 44, While illustrated as being ellipitical in form, may be varied as long as the internal surface area of such a cap is substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the hollow element 19.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the modifications shown above are exemplary only and that this invention is not intended to be limited except by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Iclaim:

1. An attachment for suction cleaners including an external housing provided with a clean air discharge port delineated by port margins, comprising: a rigid, hollow element defining a channel provided with open ends, a series of resilient fingers carried by one end of the element and arranged to cooperatively engage th margins of the air discharge port to removably connect the element thereto, the other end of said rigid element carrying a compliant, porous fabric cap having a materially greater internal surface area than the cross-secti0nal area of the channel of the element.

2. An attachment of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the element is provided with a resilient dampening ring arranged to contact the suction cleaner housing when the element is in engagement with the margins of the air discharge port.

3. An attachment of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the hollow element is substantially frusto-conical, the fabric cap being carried by the larger end of said element and wherein the element is provided with a resilient dampening ring arranged to contact the suction is in engagement with the margins of the air discharge port.

4. An attachment of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the means cooperatively engaging the margins of the discharge port comprise a series of resilient fingers carried by the end of the element; and wherein the element is provided with a resilient dampening ring arranged to contact the suction cleaner housing when the element is in engagement with the margins of the air discharge port.

5. An attachment of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the hollow element is substantially frusto-conical, the fabric cap being carried by the larger end of said element; wherein the means cooperatively engaging the margins of the discharge port comprise a series of resilient fingers carried by the end of the element; and wherein the element is provided with a resilient dampening ring arranged to contact the suction cleaner housing when the element is in engagement with the margins of the air discharge port.

FINN E. GRUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,578,047 Lum Mar. 23, 1926 1,661,553 Baar Mar. 6, 1928 2,028,861 Bieth Jan. 28, 1936 2,201,229 Gross May 21, 1940 2,240,543 Brown May 6, 1941 2,330,701 Gerber Sept. 28, 1943 

